Secrets Among Us
by weasley.is.my.king1993
Summary: Sirius Black and Remus Lupin are two very different boys, but perhaps their secrets, and their desperation to hide them, make them more alike than they know.


Secrets Among Us

Hello all! This is just a one-shot about Sirius Black and Remus Lupin on their first day. All of the characters etc. belong to J.K. Rowling. Also, I would like to mention because when I needed to check some things from the book, I looked there. That being said, I may have taken liberties with some things without even meaning to do so, so forgive me. I hope you enjoy, and please leave a review on your out!

This is kind of a grammatical note, but I am a huge English grammar freak. I know that "between" is used for two people and "among" is used for more than two, so I just wanted to clarify that I'm using "among" in the sense that there are secrets everywhere, rather than secrets between two people. I'm sure no one really cares, but my inner grammar freak really needed to explain.

**Secrets Among Us**

Sirius was in awe as he look at the magnificent scarlet steam engine that was waiting on Platform 9 ¾. He had dreamed of this day since before he could remember. The dream had finally become reality when he received his Hogwarts' letter a little over a month ago. He hadn't been able to sleep properly since then. He would finally be leaving his house and going to school. He would finally be free—free from his family, their pure blood mania, and their fascination with the dark arts.

Sirius Black was only eleven, but he had always known that he was different from the other members of his family. While they took great pride in their bloodline, and cursed anyone whose ancestry couldn't be traced for centuries, Sirius never really bothered with such things. He thought it was nonsense. It made no difference to him if someone's parents were witches and wizards. His family also had quite a fascination with the dark arts. They had long been associated with dark magic, and were quite proud of it. Sirius was never enticed by that way of life. He grew up in a house full of dark objects, where hatred was spoken and displayed daily, and all he could do to keep from drowning in it was to keep to himself in his room.

"Come along, Sirius." Sirius' thoughts were broken by the cold drawing voice of his mother, Walburga. She placed her cold bejeweled hand on his back and pushed him along the platform towards the front of the train. He watched curiously as other students milled about, looking for friends, and saying goodbye to their families. He saw fathers patting their sons' backs, and mothers hugging tightly, and little siblings trying to climb on the train too.

"Well," said Sirius' father, Orion, "this is it. You can get on here." Sirius looked up toward the entry way on the train. Finally, just a few more steps and he would be in a whole new world. Sirius knew he had to keep his excitement for this new freedom to a minimum for just a few more minutes while he said goodbye to his family. This was the part of the morning he had been dreading the most. He glanced around and watched as the other families sadly said goodbye to their children. He even saw one mother and daughter getting teary-eyed, and another mother making a fuss about whether her son had remembered to pack enough sweaters. He wished his family could be like that. He wished his mother would get teary-eyed over his leaving, or his father would look at him sadly, but he wasn't naïve enough to hope. His parents would be glad to be rid of him, and he felt the same. He just wanted this to be quick.

"We expect you to behave yourself in a manner that reflects well on this family," said Orion, knowing that his son had a fondness for getting into trouble.

"Yes, dad," Sirius answered obediently. Sirius saw the woman next to his father shift slightly away from him. That's what he feared the most, and why he wanted to get away from them as fast as possible. People knew his parents. His family was one of the oldest wizarding families. They knew what his parents were like—that they detested anyone who wasn't a pure blood and more than dabbled in the dark arts. He didn't want people to associate him with his parents. He wasn't anything like them.

"Be on the lookout for Druella's boy, Evan," his mother said. "He's starting this year as well." Druella Rosier was a very good friend of the family, who had married some cousin or other. She, and her son, Sirius reasoned, was just like all the others.

"Yeah, mum, sure," Sirius said. Little did she know, he had absolutely no intention of that. In fact, he intended to stay as far away as possible from Evan and all the other boys his parents knew.

"Well, it's only a few minutes to," Orion said sternly. "You better be getting on Sirius. The seats fill up quickly, and you don't want to be stuck sitting with some…" he stopped himself, "rather disagreeable people."

"Yeah, dad, I'll get going," Sirius said, thankful that he was going to get away from them at last.

"I want to go!" Sirius' younger brother, Regulus, shouted. "Mum, why can't I go? I'm only a year younger, and I'm a lot smarter than Sirius!"

"I know, Regulus, I know," his mother cooed, "But this year will be over before you know it. Then you'll be able to go next year." Most would find his mother's behavior upsetting, but Sirius was far too used to his parents' favoritism towards his brother to be affected. He was ten, only a year younger than Sirius. They looked very similar, but couldn't be more different. Regulus, although young, had already settled into his parents' ways.

"Sirius," his mother said, "say goodbye to your brother." Sirius bent down to give his brother a hug.

"Bye Regulus," he said. "I'll see you over break, I guess." If there was one person that Sirius felt bad about leaving, it was Regulus. Seeing his brother become his parents was terrible to watch, and Sirius hoped beyond anything that he could get his brother to change before it was too late. He knew he'd have to give up for now. Perhaps things would change when Regulus got to Hogwarts the next year.

"Let go of your brother, Regulus," Orion said sternly. "It's time for him to go."

"Do well, dear," Walburga said emptily to Sirius as he stepped onto the train. "Write us and tell us how things are going."

"Make us proud," his father said, giving an order. "Set a good example for your brother."

"I will," Sirius said. He knew his father's and his ideas of a good example were vastly different, so really he was only lying a little.

Sirius waved goodbye one last time to his family, and boarded the train, glad to have gotten away from them. Sirius looked around for a minute. His father was right; the seats had filled up quickly. He hoped that there was a seat for him somewhere—somewhere away from Evan and all his friends. Sirius just started to move along the train, when someone walked into him from behind.

"Bye Mum, bye dad," the boy called as he walked backward right before bumping into Sirius.

"Oh, sorry," the boy said. The boy was rather lanky. He had black hair that stuck up in the back, and hazel eyes that were situated behind wire-rimmed glasses.

"It's alright," Sirius said.

"Are you a first year too?" The boy asked, glancing at Sirius and his trunk.

"Yeah," Sirius said.

"I'm James Potter," the boy said holding out his hand to shake Sirius'.

"I'm Sirius," he said. He wasn't about to tell the boy his name. Hearing the name Black was enough to send some people running for the hills.

"You still looking for a compartment? James asked.

"Yeah."

"You can come to mine if you like, it's empty. Or it was before I came back out here. My mum was making such a fuss. She wanted to say goodbye again."

"Oh yeah…," Sirius said. "Mine was like that too."

"Well, come on then." James led Sirius down the aisle towards the back of the train.

As they were making their way down the aisle, a tall boy with white-blond hair stepped out of his compartment and hit right into James.

"Watch where you're going," the boy sneered pompously.

"You watch where you're going," James shot back, clearly unafraid despite the fact that the boy was a head taller than him, and much stronger looking.

"You don't know who you're talking to," the boy sneered, taken aback by James's lack of fear.

"You're right," James shot back, "So, I guess that means you're not too important."

"You better be careful," the boy shot back haughtily. "I'm a prefect, and we respect our superiors here."

"We not in school, we haven't even left the station yet," James said. "You can't do anything."

The boy didn't a have a reply to that. Instead, he shot an ice-cold stare at James and Sirius and proceeded down the aisle with his friends.

"What a git," James said to Sirius as they continued. "Probably in Slytherin. The whole lot of them is supposed to be like that. All the dark wizards come from Slytherin."

All Sirius could manage to reply was "yeah." What would James say when he found out that Sirius' whole family was in Slytherin?

"C'mon, mum," Remus Lupin said as he hurried across the platform, past the parents and siblings waving goodbye and the other late comers boarding the train. "I'm going to miss the train."

"You won't miss it, dear," Remus' mother said. "We've still got ten minutes, and there are still lots of people out here." Remus kept pushing forward. This whole thing had been like a dream. He was certain that he would wake up soon, and was determined to get as far into the dream as he could before it was taken away.

When Remus was six-years-old he was bitten by a werewolf, Fenir Greyback. Greyback was a particularly vicious werewolf who took pleasure in attacking children. Remus' father had offended Greyback, and attacking Remus was his revenge. The attack hadn't been enough to kill Remus, but it had a lasting effect. Remus became a werewolf once a month during the full moon. It was very painful, but even more so, it had ruined any chance Remus had of going to school. No one would want their children attending classes with a dangerous werewolf, and where would Remus go during his transformation?

Remus knew all about Hogwarts from his parents. He begged them to tell him stories of their time there. They tried to avoid it, knowing that their son would never be able to go—or so they thought. Dumbledore had written to them over the summer, and asked if they would be interested in having Remus attend Hogwarts. Thoroughly confused, Remus' mother believed that it had to be some mistake, and recounted Remus' plight in a return letter. However, Dumbledore's response indicated that it had not in fact been a mistake, and that despite Remus' condition, he saw no reason for Remus not to attend school. He delivered Remus' Hogwarts' letter personally midsummer, and explained to Remus and his parents the safety precautions that would be taken for Remus. While Dumbledore was very understanding, he knew that not all parents would be, so he concluded that it would be best for Remus' condition to be kept a secret. The only people who would know would be Remus, Dumbledore, and the staff. The potions master, Professor Slughorn, would brew the wolfsbane potion for Remus, and Madam Pomfrey would accompany him to and from the Shrieking Shack, and care for him as needed.

"Remember everything Professor Dumbledore told you," Remus' mother said as she adjusted his sweater, and tried to flatten his hair. "And write to us once you get there and are settled, so we know you're alright."

"I know mum," Remus said, trying not to be impatient. "Stop making such a fuss."

"I can't help it," his mother said apologetically. "I'm nervous. I never…" she stopped herself, but continued when Remus started at her, asking her to finish. "I never thought this day would come."

"I know," Remus said smiling. "Neither did I." Remus' mother's eyes filled with tears.

"Mum, please don't cry," Remus said. "I'll be fine. I'll do everything that Professor Dumbledore said, and I'll write all the time."

"We know you will, son," Remus' father said, putting his arm around his wife. "We know you're going to do very well, and you'll make us proud."

"Thanks dad," Remus said. The train sounded a warning. It was getting ready to leave. "Well, I guess I better get going. Bye mum, bye dad." He hugged each of them.

"Have a good year, Remus," his mother said. "And remember," she nearly whispered. "There's nothing to be ashamed of if you need to come home. It's a lot to handle, and you shouldn't..."

"Mum, I'll be fine," Remus answered.

"Darling, he's going to be alright. He knows all of this already," Remus' father said. "Have a good year, Remus."

"Thanks dad. Bye!" He climbed the steps onto the train.

Although Remus would never admit it to his parents, especially his mother, he was incredibly nervous and wracking his brain to remember every detail of what Professor Dumbledore had told him. He knew he was incredibly lucky to get this opportunity, and he would never forgive himself if he screwed it up.

Remus warily looked into the next compartment. So far every one he had passed had been full. This one contained three boys. One was lanky with glasses and black hair that stuck up in the back. The other was also lanky, but had dark brown slightly curly hair. The third was shorter, and rounder, and more nervous looking than the other two.

"Looking for a compartment?" The black-haired boy asked.

"Yes," Remus answered. "Every where's full."

"We have room" the boy said.

"Are you sure?" Remus asked, not wanting to intrude.

"Yeah, c'mon in," the other boy with brown curly hair said.

Remus came into the compartment, and the black-haired boy helped him load his trunk into the overhead rack.

"So, you're a first year, right?" Sirius asked as Remus took a seat across from him.

"Yes," Remus answered. "Are you all first years too?"

"Yeah," the three boys answered in unison.

"I'm James Potter," the black-haired boy said, holding out his hand.

"I'm Peter Pettigrew," the shorter, rounder boy said, nervously holding out his hand.

"I'm Sirius," Sirius held out his hand. He was determined to avoid giving his last name.

"I'm Remus Lupin," Remus said, as he shook Sirius' hand.

"What did you do to your wrist?" Sirius asked. Remus looked down at his wrist nervously. He had a particularly deep scar that ran almost from his palm to his elbow. He'd gotten it during his last transformation.

"Oh," Remus said quickly, determined to avoid this topic at all costs. "My mum's cat scratched me."

"I don't like cats," Sirius said. "They're shifty animals."

"Yeah," Remus laughed nervously. "It really doesn't like me."

"So, did your parents go to Hogwarts too?" James asked Sirius.

"Oh, er…., yeah," Sirius said. "They did."

"Mine did too, maybe they know each other. What house were they in?"

"Oh, my parents are pretty old," Sirius said. "Your parents wouldn't know them."

"My parents are pretty old too," James said. "What are their names?"

Sirius was desperate to change the subject.

"Remus," he said. "What's wrong with your neck?" Remus had removed the extra sweater his mother had forced him to wear that morning, which exposed another thick scar at the base of his neck.

"Oh," Remus said. "It was my mum's cat again."

"It attacked your neck?" Peter said in shock.

"What did it do, jump right on top of you?" James asked.

"Er…yeah, it's a long story. It just really doesn't like me."

"Sounds like a beast," Sirius said.

"Yeah. So any idea when we'll be arriving at Hogwarts?"

"No," James answered. "I guess in a few hours."

The rest of the journey to Hogwarts the boys talked about how excited they were to go to school, what they thought they would learn, and James and Sirius' favorite topic—Quidditch. Remus and Sirius were very different boys. Remus was quiet. He preferred to listen to others and to observe. He really thought things through before he spoke. Sirius on the other hand talked and talked to James for the entire trip. He said whatever came to mind without thinking. Remus had traces of thin scars on seen on his face. Sirius had a very bright and carelessly handsome face. These boys were so different, yet they had a crucial element in common. Both were haunted. Both held secrets that they were desperate to keep hidden. They wanted nothing more than to start a clean slate.

Thanks for reading! Please leave a review on the way out! :]


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